Chapter 10

When the guys went out, I sat back to think for a little bit. I was realistic and knew I had seventy two hours at the most before I would find out if I was going to be hassled by any of the names on the list in the books. I was going to Reno tonight and make some copies and send the original copy to Floyd and tell him to cover my ass from his end. He was connected and high in the family and a good friend. I had other dealings with him and he always covered me ten ways from Sunday. I knew he would this time too.

I went out the door and called dispatch from my car with a signal 43 and went toward the cabin. I was watching the rearview and saw no tails. I went up the driveway and there was my Jeep that Shorty had delivered. I parked behind it and went in the cabin. I went to the shelter and got the copy, put it in one of the waterproof document packs and grabbed the M-16 and four of the mags and went back to the car and back down the driveway. I was well armed and if I ran into trouble I was prepared.

I knew I was rushing but the need was on me so I floored the car and flew down the freeway about eighty-five miles an hour. The Dodge was smooth and never seemed to strain as I went up the mountain and down the other side toward Reno. I got off at the second exit near the airport and started looking for a copy shop that had overnight express. I spotted one across from the sheriff's substation and pulled in there. I hid the rifle under the seat and locked the doors and went inside. The clerk showed me how to run the copy machine and I went to work. I was finishing the final copy of them when a deputy came in the door with a bundle of papers and gave them to the clerk. He looked at me then came over where I was stuffing the last of the copies in the overnight envelope. I already had them addressed and the clerk said the pickup for them was due in about ten minutes.

"That your unit out there?"

"Yeah, I had a bunch of paperwork that had to be sent overnight so I came down here to send them out. This was closer to where I was going anyways."

"I heard the old sheriff died and they have hired a man out of Florida to be the new sheriff for the rest of his term."

"His name is Mark Simmons and he was a Captain until he accepted the job here. What's your interest in the department there?"

"Easy there, I was just talking. That old sheriff was well known here for causing problems when he came to town. He and our old sheriff were close friends. Now that we have a new sheriff, he asked us to watch for units from your county and to make contact with the deputy driving it and see why he was in town. I am not trying to make you mad, just doing my job."

"Deputy, give me a few minutes to pay my bill and make sure these go out and I will buy you a cup of coffee and answer all your questions. Will that help you out in doing your inquiry?"

"Give me a minute to call in and I will take you up on that cup of coffee."

While he walked across the street, I paid for the copies and the overnight charges for my packages. I waited and watched the driver as he picked up all the outgoing packages and headed toward the airport. It was in clear sight and I watched as the packages in his truck were unloaded and x-rayed then put on the plane. Since he had sorted them as he put them in the truck I knew they would be away and out of mind when to plane took off. I had paid the extra fees for the return receipt requested and I would have proof of their delivery within forty-eight hours. I knew whom I had sent them to and when I got the receipt's I would burn them so there would be no trail of deliveries. I watched the plane take off and headed across the street to the substation to meet the deputy for coffee.

I almost ran him over as I was going in as he was coming out.

"I am not familiar with this town so you will have to pick a place to go to, deputy."

"There's a small café down the street about three blocks from here. Just follow me and we will go there um, Officer."

"My name's Harry Hanson and I am the acting sheriff till the first of the month when the new sheriff comes on. Now that you know my name and who I am, suppose you tell me who you are."

"My name is Theo Morgan and I am a patrolman with the sheriff's department. I have been a full time deputy for five years in the western division here."

"Well Theo, now that we have formally met, let's go get that coffee."

We both laughed and headed for our units. I pulled out and followed behind him as he led me to the coffee shop. We pulled into a small lot and there were four other units already there. Great, a cop hangout. I followed Theo inside and we were greeted by several of the officers already seated. We took a small booth and ordered coffee and sat back to talk. I liked Theo's personality and his humorous way with word. He seemed to be laid back and not wound up like a lot of the modern officers were. We talked about the department and how I was hiring officers to fill out the openings I was experiencing. I had left several of his questions open ended and he finally asked the question I was waiting for him to ask.

"Harry, how many years' experience does your department require for another deputy to be hired as a supervisor?"

"Theo if you have five or more years experience and are up to date on your state mandates then we would be interested in talking to you. If you or anyone else passes the interview then he would start the first of the month. I do need new supervisors for second and third shifts. I just hired a man for first and he used to be a member of your department."

"Who might that be Harry? I might know him or previously worked with him"

"I hired Beau Gentry for day shift supervisor and I think he will make me a good one."

Now I was just feeling him out to see his reaction and really didn't give a damn what he thought. I just wanted to see his reaction and how he handled me hiring Beau with his handicap.

"Wow Harry. You couldn't have hired a better man. Beau was a great deputy and was always good working with people."

My respect for Theo had just notched up to the top ten. I knew then that he would make a good leader if I could get him to change departments.

"Harry maybe I'm out of line a little by saying this but the new sheriff prefers his supervisors and officers of the higher ranks to be married. I know several of the guys that are single who would love to live in the mountains and be able to hunt and fish when they wanted to without taking time off for the season. Would your department be interested in hiring men like these? I could spread the word and see how many might be interested."

"You do that Theo and if you're interested in one of the supervisor's jobs, then come up on your next day off and talk to me and my patrol captain. Tell your friends we need men on all three shifts and they can transfer and keep their seniority."

"Thanks Harry and I am off the day after tomorrow. I think I will come up and talk to you. Well, I have to get back to work so I will see you the day after tomorrow, and will probably bring a couple of the guys with me who will want to interview also."

"Ok Theo, bring all the men who are interested and we will talk to them and go from there."

He got up and went out and I had to laugh as he put down a quarter for the tip. I added a couple of dollars to it, paid the check and went out to my unit and headed back to the cabin. Since it was getting dark, I knew I was going to bed early after setting the little traps Abe had showed me to protect my cabin from strangers. I wouldn't have to worry if they were friends because these little traps were warning systems only and not lethal. The lethal ones I would set if I felt I was in danger of being attacked. I made it to the cabin without falling asleep and checked the little light set in the doorbell to see if it was red. It was still green so I knew nobody had visited. I went in and made a sandwich, had a beer and went to bed.

I woke up at six with the persistent beeping of the alarm. I set the coffee to brew and headed for the shower. I realized I had two more weeks to go before Mark would take over and I would become a man of leisure again. To be honest, I would miss the patrol but not all the meetings and paperwork. I owed it to my friend to get the department up and going for him as much as possible. I finished my coffee grabbed a "to go" cup and headed for the station. I called in a signal 33 and headed in. I was about two blocks from the station when a call of 65f came over the radio and then the signal 65 followed it and I called in for the location. I was told to go to the gulch Golden Glove Casinos ASAP. I told dispatch I was on my way, threw the lights and siren on, and hit the gas. I knew how to get to the gulch from Abe's directions and figured I would see the other units to tell me where to go.

I pulled into the main street of the gulch and saw several flashing lights at the end of the street and headed there after killing the siren. I climbed out of the car and was met by a Sergeant I didn't know.

"Sheriff we have a fatal stabbing of one of the whores and the suspect is in custody. He is still drunk. He doesn't remember what happened. I called the coroner and we were waiting on you before we questioned him any further."

"What's your name Sergeant?"

"I am Sergeant Abram's sheriff and it's good to finally meet you. I came on duty an hour ago and this is my first call this morning. Helluva way to start the day, Sheriff."

"Well Sarge, for the record my name is Harry and from now on you will refer to the woman by her name, not whore. I want the suspect isolated, preferably in the back of a unit with a deputy making sure nobody talks to him. I also want a unit to stop any press that show up. I want them kept at least a hundred feet from the scene. Make it clear to the deputy handling the perimeter that any press person that breaks through will be arrested and charged with impeding an official investigation. Get on that and then we will wait till the coroner arrives before we print and handle any evidence."